small packet of HOod hfis boon sent mc overland, of whidi a portion has bedn 

 li!iii<l«'(l to the SuiH'iiiiteii(k'nt of the Society's gardens, and some 1 have sown. 

 Should :iny Fellow of the lioyal Society desire to try the qualities of this 

 new description of fodder on a small scale this season, I shall be happy to 

 supply hini with a few seeds, if he will notify his wish to nie. 1 may 

 re nark that the seed of Schroeder's bronie is as yet very scarce and dear in 

 England." 



Extract from the Worcester Journal : — 



THE SCHRCEDER BROME. 



The 'Schro:ider Brome,' to quote a French paper, is a perennial ^ass of 

 extracmlinarv productive power, lately introduced into France. A Frenchman 

 speaks of having experimented upon it for six years, during which time it never 

 fell off, either in its const-itution or its yiehliog properties. The early period 

 at- which it conies forwiird is an important qualification. The first cut will be 

 ready in March, if the last crop of the preceding year has been taken in good 

 time ; it conies even befoie rye. Four and in some years five cuts may be 

 obtained in the season, and either in the green or dry state it is superior to any 

 other kind of fodder, especially for milch cows, but all graminivorous animals 

 arefondof it. This grass forms ther ear and the seed with great rapidity; 

 this is the case with every cutting, when the ear and seed are fully developed, 

 though not quite ripe, and tlie ears of the first crop have been able to be 

 taken off sufficiently forward to be nsed as seed when dry, and afterwards to 

 mow the herbaceous part. Any soil almost seems to suit Schroeder broine, but 

 it appears to do best on fresh land. Without doubt the best land will pro- 

 duce the heaviest crops, but it Avould be difficult to tell on what kind of soil 

 this brome will not grow. This brome lasts about six or eight years without 

 diminution of produce or appearance of dying out. One of the peculiar 

 merits of this plant is that no weeds will thrive under its culture ; it comes up 

 quickly, and grows very rapidly ; it doss not require to be sown thick, but 

 rather deep. It is as green food that this plant is especially useful, but 

 when converted into hay it retains all the valuable properties of the plant 

 when in its green state, but it is greatly decreased in weight. It is no longer 

 in n)akiug than meadow hay. The straw is very heavy, and, although a 

 little fough, cows and pigs will eat it without being cut. The Schioeder brome 

 se jms to be very desirable food for cows, as it greatly increases the quantity of 

 milk and makes the cream very thick, and the butter made from it has a finer 

 flavor and keeps well, even if the weather be very warm. 



The attention of the Fellows was directed to two specimens on the table, 

 eue of the bituminous substance from the Hartley mines, New South Wales, 

 which yields on distillation the paraffine oil of commerce ; the other of the 

 Dysodyle from the North of Tasmania, or Tasmanite as it is now called. 



The Secretary observed that some weeks ago one of the local newspapers, 

 in a notice of the Hartley mineral, had suggested if the Dysodyle were treated 

 in a like manner it might be found to yield somewhat similar products. He 

 had therefore placed them together, in order that the Fellows might see how 

 great the difference was between them. Both when held to a flame burned 

 readily, but while on combustion the foiTner almost disaj^peared, leaving 

 only a very small residue of fine powdery carbon, the form and size of the 

 latter remained unaltered. It consisted, in fact, of a fixed earthy Matrix 

 holding the inflammable material in its interstices. When treated chemically 

 in England it has hitherto been found impracticable to purify its products 

 sufficiently to render them available for any useful purpose in science or art. 



The Secretary read some " Notes on the Geological Stinicture of the North- 

 east Coast of Tasmania," which had been addressed to him by Mr. Gould- 

 After the paper conversation ensued, in which the Lord Bishop of Tasmania, 

 the Venerable the Archdeacon, Dr. Officer, and others took part, and it was 

 finally agreed that further discussion should be postponed until next meeting, 

 when it was hoped Mr. Gould himself would be present. 



Mr. WiNTLE read some " Notes on the shaft sunk for coal at the Cascades." 



The usual vote of thanks terminated the proceedings. 



